MMP teleconference with Carlos Checa

Miller Motorsports Park Teleconference with Carlos Checa
June 29, 2010
Moderator: Good morning, everyone. This is John Gardner, the media
manager at Miller Motorsports Park. Today we are hosting another in our
ongoing series of teleconferences...

Moderator: Good morning, everyone. This is John Gardner, the media
manager at Miller Motorsports Park. Today we are hosting another in our
ongoing series of teleconferences with riders in the HANNspree Superbike
World Championship. Today's guest is Carlos Checa, who rides the No. 7
Ducati 1098R for Althea Racing. We're happy to have you here. Welcome,
Carlos.

Carlos Checa: Hello.

Moderator: Today you're at Imola doing the first day of a two-day test .
Tell us how your test is going, please .

Carlos Checa: Yes. We're testing here in Italy, after Misano and the
ride to Imola, we've been testing all today. And positioning at times
is not exceptional. We are ninth. But, basically, because we didn't
test the tires; Pirelli is just delivering tires for official teams.
And maybe tomorrow, if there are some left, maybe we'll test. But,
so far, the lap times came very fast because, compared to last year,
they improve more than one second. And it's because of the tires. But,
for us, it was good because we test electronics in the bottom area
of the engine with the by drive-by-wire. We have electronic gas, and
always difficult to set up now if you don't have so much time. But today
we make a good progress in that area. I like how it's working now.
On the chassis side, also we changed something that also I feel some
improvement.

Moderator: You're on a privateer Ducati, and you've done very well
compared to the factory Ducatis this year. In fact, you've done much
better than the factory Ducatis the vast majority of the time. How is it
that you're able to do that?

Carlos Checa: Well, basically, the bike is not official, but it's quite
close to the official. It looks like the small difference they have is
not making the difference in this moment. No. I think we work quite well
with the team. The people working with me are very professional, very
good understanding. And the bike base is quite good. Then I think just
I was able to understand very quick the bike, the team, work very close
with the tires, and set up the bike at my style. And I was able just to
be more quick and more constant than the others. Now, I don't know if
they have some trouble because last year they've been very competitive,
and you can see some races they are there. But it looks like very up and
down. That's why some difference made to the official team. It's just
because they've been more inconsistent than me, and I was able to do
very good races this year.

Moderator: Okay. So, where do you think that your bike can be improved
to make it better? I mean, what are you working on?

Carlos Checa: Well, now, we work on the connection of the throttle and
engine, and this will make some improvement today. Of course, it is
obvious that we need more power. We lose a few tenths on the straights.
Even here at Miller when I was racing there, compared to March, we lose
3.5 tenths. But I was able in the rest to be even more quick. This can
happen maybe one or two times a year. When you lose more than one tenth
on the straight, it's a lot.

Then, with the tires were probably we're losing more and is where we
can win more as well. No? Now we're going to Brno, and tracks like
Nurburgring and even, last one, Magny-Cours is that long straight. And
the power makes a big difference.

Then I'm trying to find, but it's not my response to everything-- the
engineer and Ducati are probably there working. We'll see if we can
find something in that area.

Moderator: This is your first year with Althea Racing, right?

Carlos Checa: Right. Yeah.

Moderator: Are you happy with this team? And how has it gone for you
overall? What are your feelings?

Carlos Checa: To be the first year, it is fantastic. For sure we need to
improve technical area. We'll see what we can do now. But, to be a first
year, honestly, the professionalism and even the manager is managing all
the team is a very high level. Actually, it's a first year, but it looks
like we already know from long time. I think the chemistry between each
other was very quick and very good.

Moderator: Everybody is aware of the heartbreak that you suffered here
at Miller Motorsports Park a couple weeks ago, when you led both races
easily and failed to finish either one. And in 2008, when we had the
first races here, you won both races that year. What is it about Miller
Motorsports Park that seems to suit you so well?

Carlos Checa: I don't know. I tried to discover that and bring that
secret to the other tracks. But I think Miller is a track where you have
a high level of grip. I like to flick the bike and just let it roll.
Miller I can do it because it's the kind of track where I can flick a
lot. I can let the bike go and with high speed. And I don't know. For
the rest, it's same as the others. No? It's straight and turns. But it's
just with this extra grip maybe I can ride more in my style - more like
I like. And, honestly, this year, with the Ducati, I feel really well,
even better than with the Honda. The difference I was able to make this
year was even more than two years ago.

Moderator: You're third in the championship standings right now. What do
you feel like your chances are for the rest of the season?

Carlos Checa: Well, for sure, at Miller, if we can finish the races and
take 50 points and rest some points to the others finishing, you can
look at the championship a little differently. But now it's still five
races. It's a lot of points. But my feeling is that some tracks we'll
go now will be honestly difficult to fight for the top positions. And
we try to protect as much as possible our situation because position,
honestly, I feel will be excellent. And it depends on Max and Haslam
if we want to catch them. They should make some mistakes, and we must
be excellent in the rest of the races. Now we're working as hard as
possible to improve myself, the bike, the setup - all the parts within
and improve all these areas and try to approach the last five races in
the best performance and the best situation we can get.

My feeling is we're going to fight for the third position, and maybe
we can close the gap a little bit. But this will depend on how Haslam
and Biaggi are able-- what they will do now. But I believe Max is very
consistent; Haslam as well. Then it will be difficult to catch them -
even difficult to keep the third position. But it's our target in this
moment - try to finish in the top three. If it's possible, third will
be an excellent result for us.

Moderator: Okay. At this point, I'd like to go ahead and open this up to
the media callers and let them ask some questions.

Operator: The first question comes from Matthew Miles of Cycle News.

Matthew Miles: Hi, Carlos.

Carlos Checa: Yes.

Matthew Miles: In terms of corner entry, what priority do you place on
engine braking?

Carlos Checa: If I understand, you mean when I'm braking, how I like the
engine brake?

Matthew Miles: Yes. How do you like the engine braking on the Ducati
versus the Honda? Is it different? Have you treated it differently?

Carlos Checa: On entry with Honda, we had many problems with the
chattering and with the noise coming from the clutch or from the engine
brake or maybe the chassis. We've been working on that a lot last year.
And, many times, we find the same problem wrong-- it was chattering.

With the Ducati, the problem never exists - the chattering. Basically,
the engine brake also has much more chance to work on because we have
the drive-by- wire. It's an electrical throttle. And we have much
more things to adjust. With Honda, the engine brake system -- the
electronic area was much more simple and not many things to play on.
But Ducati you can play a lot.

And, basically, what I like is maybe in long gears, I prefer to have
more engine brake. And, in short gears, like first and second, much
more free. Then we have two areas. No? The first is the braking point,
where I prefer to have a lot free -- not so much with engine. And when
flicking the bike and going to put the bike on maximum angle to make
the turn, the engine brake increase a little bit in that area. And
this gives me more feeling on the rear tire. And it looks like helping
for turning. Then this is the character I feel now in Ducati and the
character that normally I like to use when I'm riding.

Matthew Miles: How is that different with the Honda versus the Ducati?

Carlos Checa: Well, in Honda, it was okay. It was very smooth. I had no
problem on that area. Just when -- after maybe 20% or 25% of gas plus
the 90% or full, then, when revs are going up, then the torque from
Honda arrive and was a little difficult to control.

With Ducati, initial opening always is some problem with ride-by wire,
and it's what we are working on here. And we feel some improvement
in the bottom area at initial. After the power is arriving but in
very nice and smooth area, of course, we have less power. That is
negative. The power that we have is very useful. And this is the main
difference.

Matthew Miles: Okay. Thank you very much.

Carlos Checa: No problem.

Operator: The next question comes from Laurel Allen of Road Racer X.

Laurel Allen: How close is your bike's performance to the factory
Ducatis?

Carlos Checa: Well, in, for example, chassis, suspensions, brakes,
electronics, very similar. We have in electronics some steps. They have
some steps, especially in engine brake, that we don't have. Maybe we
will have not next race but maybe the other. And, in terms of power, I
don't know. There is always some three or four horsepower difference.
But, honestly, I don't know. We need to work still with the exhaust
because we have different exhaust -- different manufacturer. And small
things that maybe can make that difference. But it's not that they have
complete different bike than me. It's just everything is quite the same.
Just the small things in electronics and maybe small thing in power that
-- for the continuation of working for many years, they find something
else. Like I told you, we have different exhausts. Probably putting
together all this is still not perfect and is what in this moment I can
feel biggest difference compared to the others.

Laurel Allen: You're outperforming the factory Ducati riders right now.
Do you think you could get that ride for next year?

Carlos Checa: Well, the relation with Ducati is very good. What I want
is to have a better bike performance. And, if this means going to
official thing, for me it will be a pleasure. No? But, in this moment,
I'm feeling very well with the team I'm riding. My engineer is a guy
that's working for Ducati. He's not a guy from the Althea team. This guy
arrived with the bikes from Ducati. The mechanic is a guy from Ducati
also. I choose-- I mean, it's quite a mix. No? And, for sure, the best
thing is to have better performance by this area. We can have next year
a bike -- official bike and staying with these people, I think, probably
I will be very happy with that. I don't know the plans of Ducati yet.
But probably after Brno, this next race in two weeks, we will start
talking for that. And we'll see what is the best plan for next year.
But, for sure, I believe that we will have the best Ducati bike.

Laurel Allen: Okay. Thanks very much.

Carlos Checa: You're welcome.

Operator: The next question comes from David Emmett of MotoMatters.com.

David Emmett: Hi, Carlos. I'd like to go back to the question of power,
because it's quite obvious that the Ducatis are down on power compared
to the four-cylinders. Recently, they were allowed to drop the three
kilograms. They're three kilograms lighter. Is your bike now three
kilograms lighter?

Carlos Checa: Yes. Our bike is now three kilo less because, when they
started the rules, they decide to have-- Okay, Ducati will be 1,200 but
with this extra weight, and so far it was working well the first year
and last year. But, now, it seems like our bike is heavier and slower.
It's a little bit unbalanced compared to the four-cylinders. Four-
cylinders make a big step in front with the power, with the electronics,
and, especially, Pirelli bringing new tires with more grip, they are
able now to use this extra power with the grip and, especially, with
the electronics as well then. It's now for Ducati a hard time because
they're struggling. And then we'll see what we can do. We have also
three kilo less. If next race in Brno is not to Ducati in the podium, we
have a reduction of weight but only three already. We are close to the
limit now. To take three kilo from the bike will be very difficult for
us.

David Emmett: Do you think that what Ducati really needs to be
competitive again is to have the engine inlet restrictors removed?

Carlos Checa: Yeah. We have air restrictors that this will be also
next step in six races probably for next year already. But, from my
information, air restrictor is making smaller and smaller difference in
the power. Now maybe we need talking a little bit-- maybe 15 or 18 or 20
horsepower to be close to the others. And maybe air restrictors can give
you 1.5 or 2, maximum. Then we need to find the power in other area.

David Emmett: You also mentioned the four-cylinders -- the improvement
in the electronics. And, certainly, that was something I noticed at
Assen. You could hear the electronics a lot more than, say, a couple
of years ago. Is electronics becoming increasingly important in World
Superbikes the same as in MotoGP?

Carlos Checa: Yes. Electronics become very important when you have
power you cannot control. Superbikes increased the power a lot the last
four or five years. Now they are in very high level in terms of power.
And you can control it with two things - with the grip from the tires
and with electronics. And that's why electronics becomes more and more
important the last three or four years.

Now this extra power -- probably they couldn't use. They are not
able to use maybe two years ago or three years ago. Now they can
use completely well, and they can put in the asphalt and usually
now that's my feeling now because of the difference with the
four-cylinders and two-cylinders this year and not the previous years,
like two years ago or even last year.

David Emmett: Everybody's talking about the Aprilia. I mean, it's
clearly an incredible bike. But a lot of people have complained that
it's not a proper production motorcycle; it's more like a prototype.
How do you feel when you see Max just blasting past everyone on that
vehicle?

Carlos Checa: Well, Aprilia did a great job. They produce a bike for
race, not for selling, probably. The approach was more for racing. But
they are able to sell that bike. No? I don't know exactly the rules.
I'm not in that area. But we can see clearly that it's the fastest
bike. And Aprilia make a very big effort to bring that bike on the
track and make it competitive. Then I think it's all the program; not
only the bike - the team, the people behind it. They started with very
new and aggressive project. And, for sure, it's the kind of bike that
more approach to the race compared to the other bikes in this moment.
But Max also is doing a great job with that bike. Leon Camier is on the
same bike, and he's trying a lot to be in front. And it's a combination
where, of course, start with very strong and good project is that bike.

It's just the Aprilia now will have the level. Now the other
manufacturers, if they want to be at that level, I suppose they must
work in that direction. And we'll see if they can arrive or not.

But, with this, clearly, is that the rules are for everyone, and I
believe that many people following and watching that bike. And, for
sure, if that bike is not in the rules, they cannot race with that
bike because they were better and now they have that little advantage.

David Emmett: Okay. Thanks very much, Carlos.

Carlos Checa: You're welcome.

Operator: The next question comes from Paul Nielsen of TheMotoWorld.com.

Paul Nielsen: Good morning, Carlos. How are you, sir?

Carlos Checa: Very well. Thank you.

Paul Nielsen: We did a wonderful interview at Miller Motorsports Park
with you two years ago, and I thank you for that. The other callers have
answered a lot of the technical questions that I had, so I want to ask a
couple of different questions.

Now, a lot of racers I speak with at times do not or rarely ride on
the road - street bikes. What about you?

Carlos Checa: Yes? Well, I like to ride. Honestly, last week, I receive
a new Multistrada, Ducati, of course. And I've been riding already 450
Ks. I really like it. The weather, it was perfect. And we ride with some
friends. Even next week we will do the same. And, for mobility for me,
if the weather is okay, I really like it. If raining and cold, I prefer
the car. But, if I go a short distance, I really like the bike.

Paul Nielsen: When you say you're going to go riding next week, where?

Carlos Checa: Well, back to Spain because maybe I will go Saturday to
watch MotoGP in Barcelona. And then Sunday we will-- with some friends,
we will leave, maybe eight or nine bikes. And we'll do a road in the
south of France, and come back and go to swimming pool and make paella.
You know paella-- rice? It's a typical plate in Spain.

Paul Nielsen: I make a great paella dish. At the Spanish Grand Prix, a
group of friends-- we all get together and make big paella.

Carlos Checa: Okay. Then one of the riders has a restaurant. He makes
very good paella. We have the swimming pool. And then, at 2:00, we will
watch the races, and that's the plan for Sunday. It looks, so far, quite
good - quite exciting to make it. And probably we do -- I don't know --
maybe 250 or 260 kilometers with the bikes.

Paul Nielsen: That will be a lot of fun. Now, Carlos, what are your
favorite off-track activities? When you're not working, what do you do?

Carlos Checa: Well, I like to do sports activities. After Miller, I
didn't want to be pissed off because I was leaving for a holiday. And I
said, "Okay. This is what happened." I forget. We try to fix it. That's
all. We went to Moab -- Moab in Utah.

Paul Nielsen: Yes.

Carlos Checa: And we did some mountain biking and some climbing. We've
been in Indian Creek. Finally, we arrive in Las Vegas. And we went to
climb in Red Rocks, but it was so hot. It was 106 or 108 Fahrenheit.
This takes maybe nine days. It was nine or 10 days more in America doing
these activities. And, in winter, I love skiing.

Paul Nielsen: And, in Utah, you have the greatest snow in the world.

Carlos Checa: Yeah. I know. I know that. But it's not the right time for
skiing. Maybe next year.

Paul Nielsen: When you are not working and traveling through countries,
what is your favorite country to go and visit, just when you've got
time?

Carlos Checa: Well, I've been around the world, and I like, of course,
America. Before the race, I visit in Monterey, California. I was also
with Doug Chandler. Always when I'm in America, I try to spend time.
It's a place I really like it. Then Italy I like as well. And I did also
in South America - Argentina, Chile. These countries I like. Europe
-- pretty busy, Europe. I prefer to more landscape places where less
people.

But, in terms of living, probably where I am now - Barcelona or Italy.
I probably feel more familiar in Europe.

Paul Nielsen: Well, Carlos, thank you so much for your time this
morning. And I wish you the very, very best. I always enjoy talking to
you. Thank you so much.

Carlos Checa: Thank you very much.

Operator: Our next question comes from Matthew Miles.

Matthew Miles: Carlos, could you describe how the spec Pirellis have
changed from last season to this season?

Carlos Checa: Yes. Basically, it's two things. Now, with one tire, the
grip, the stability, and the consistency. And, basically, in these
areas, Pirelli make a tire -- It's the tire we've been using this year
almost all races. And this tire is at least seven-tenths or eight-tenths
quicker than last year's tires. This means that it's a big improvement.
And, already now, we are testing the tires that improve this tire, and
probably we will use at the end of this year or probably next year.
This means that, in two years, Pirelli make big improvement and improve
at least one second or one and a half seconds -- by lap, is a lot. And
it looks like it's going to happen next year. Now even we will make a
big jump. And, already, we are very close. For example, in Holland we
had times very close to the MotoGP, considering the bikes, the weight,
and the performance of Bridgestone tires. I believe the new Pirelli is
getting close to the very high level.

And, in front, as well, with this new front tire with more grip and
even more stability, I'm quite happy with the improvements Pirelli
make last two years. Honestly, I was quite impressed.

Matthew Miles: It's been said that a rider has only 10 years at the
top of his game. But, yet, you and Troy Corser and Max Biaggi, just to
name three, continue to demonstrate that this is no longer true. Is
there something in particular that has changed, whether it's with the
motorcycles or the facilities -- the safety with the tracks -- that has
allowed riders such as yourself to extend their careers?

Carlos Checa: Well, you know, when you speak with the manager or the
guy from the factory, always they think - Oh, young rider. No? But,
you know, now Superbikes are becoming more technical, and young riders
probably have high motivation but not experience, no understanding. They
cannot compare with other bikes because they never ride other bikes.
Troy, Max, me, kind of riders like that, we have long experience. We
ride two-strokes. We start with electronics in MotoGP. Now arriving in
Superbike three years ago, I see a high evolution in this time. And
probably Troy because his new bike, his new project, and Max Biaggi with
the Aprilia, same thing, they are able to manage to understand and to
give probably very good directions to the engineers. And the engineers
are able to set up the bike or to work in the right direction to make
the bike more competitive. Probably in these areas, an experienced rider
is good. And, of course, a young rider because is the future, you can
have that rider for many years. This is a little bit what I feel.

Now I'm in Misano, feeling I was the youngest. Now, on the podium, I
think this is not going to happen again with 37 years old. Not many
people telling me - Oh, you're still racing. You're still racing. But
I, of course, am still racing because I really like it. I will enjoy.
And it's not a kind of a sport that is extremely physical. It's more
mental. And you know more-- I am more strong, I feel, in mental area -
more experience I have. And I think that's why I'm succeeding -- able
to success in this moment.

Matthew Miles: Thank you very much.

Carlos Checa: You're welcome.

Moderator: Well, I guess we'll wrap it up there. Carlos, we'd like to
thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us today. And we
wish you the best of luck for the rest of this championship season. And
we look forward to seeing you back here at Miller Motorsports Park next
year. And hopefully the track will be kinder to you next year and make
up for the heartache it caused you this year.

Carlos Checa: Okay. No problem. It's a pleasure to talk with all of you.
And, for sure, next year I will be back at Miller and I believe with a
better ending.